Thane: Four people have been killed within two days in Thane district’s Kalyan and surrounding areas. The first incident occurred at Samrat Ashok Nagar, Ulhasnagar, where on November 7, during Laxmi Puja, Navin Chaudhari, a nephew of the local Shiv Sena leader Dashrath Chaudhari, along with two friends, Karan Bhalerao and Sagar Umbale, was celebrating Diwali on the road when the accused, Kushal Nikam and Rahul Bhosale, drove a two-wheeler over Navin’s leg.
Police said it was an incident of road rage. “When Navin asked the accused Kushal, to drive his scooter properly, Kushal had an argument with him, insisting Navin remain at the spot, while he returned after dropping off his companion.” Kushal returned with three friends, Ritik Gangurde, Pradeep Jadhav and Dilip Jadhav, who were carrying rods and bamboos. They assaulted Navin, killing him on the spot, police said.
During the attack, Navin’s friend Karan tried to save him, but the accused also assaulted him, according to police. Following Navin’s death, an angry mob vandalised around 20 cars and two-wheelers passing by, demanding arrest of the accused. After registering a murder case, police arrested the two main accused, Kushal and Rahul, while three others are at large.In another incident, a 30-year old, Wasim Khan, was killed over a water dispute in Bhiwandi. Police said Khan, who works at a car wash service, had disconnected water supply to a chawl in Pimpalghar, Bhiwandi. Khan had procured an illegal water connection for the car wash unit, which irked the locals, who were deprived of their water.
According to police, on November 7, a chawl resident, Lavkush Prajapati, got into a spat with Khan over the matter. The argument led to a fight, in which Khan suffered severe injuries. He was later admitted to IGM hospital in Bhiwandi, where he died the following day. Following the incident, local Kongaon police have registered a case and are in search of Prajapati, who is on the run.
In the third killing, a 22-year-old, Rajesh Waghe alias Chindya, was killed by his cousin brother Satyawan Waghe, 35, and a friend, Praveen Mukne, 25, in Badlapur. Badlapur (W) police said, the incident took place on November 7, at New Nadvali in Badlapur (W). Police suspect family rivalry may have sparked the killing. Meanwhile, in a fourth incident which occurred on November 8 at Titwala, 30-year-old Sagar Pawshe has been arrested for allegedly killing Bhalchandra Pawshe, 30. Sagar strongly suspected Bhalchandra’s father, Pundalik, had killed Sagar’s father, JJ Atmaram, over 25 years ago.
This deep-rooted suspicion had driven Sagar to conspire to kill Bhalchandra one day, police said. Acting on a complaint by Bhalchandra’s family, Titwala Police have registered a murder case against the accused, Sagar, and arrested him. The rising incidence of murders in Thane district has made the locals apprehensive about venturing out at night and the residents have demanded an increase in police patrolling on less-populated roads.